Abiotic characteristics of aquatic and terrestrial environments
Characteristic Aquatic Environment
Buoyancy Buoyancy helps animals float with only a
small expenditure of energy. They can
alter their depth be changing the amount
of gas inside their body.
Chemical: Carbon Carbon dioxide solubility is low in water,
Dioxide but is more dissolved at low
temperatures than at high. Thus there is
more available for photosynthesis in
colder water (including ocean
upwelling’s) than in warm tropical
waters.
Chemical: ions Generally, the concentration of ions
outside of marine animals is higher than
inside and they lose water by osmosis.
They have to drink large amounts to
replace it. Fresh water poses the reverse
problem: water enters animals and they
have to remove it by constant urination.
Chemical: oxygen Oxygen has low solubility is water but is
more soluble in cold water and is thus
more available in colder waters. Also
mixing air is a factor: water tumbling
over waterfalls or rapids contains more
oxygen than stagnant water in a swamp.
Chemical: water Obtaining water is rarely a problem in
aquatic environments. However inland
regions may dry out so that animals such
as frogs, burrow into mud to survive dry
seasons. Animals in salt water have
problems keeping water because of
osmosis.
Light Light penetration decreases with depth.
Photosynthesis occurs only in the upper
layers. Thus many animals living below
the level of light penetration depend on
the ‘rain’ of food material above.
Pressure Pressure increases with depth. Changing
depth by large amounts is difficult. And
mammals, such as whales and seals, have
special adaptations to allow for this.
Temperature Temperature of water has a specific heat
and will absorb large amounts with little
change in temperature. Land nearby has
a much lower specific heat and will
change temperature by a much greater
amount. Large bodies of water also
moderate local terrestrial temperatures.
Temperature will vary more in shallow
bodies of water and near the surface than
at greater depths. Small ponds can have a
larger temperature range.
Viscosity Water has high viscosity and energy
must be expended for animals to move
through water. Plants must be securely
fastened if they are to avoid being swept
away by moving water.
Terrestrial Environment
Larger plants and animals do not notice
buoyancy. However small insects and
other invertebrates will experience a
greater effect.
Although carbon dioxide is 0.03% of the
atmosphere, it is rarely a limiting factor
in plant growth.
The availability of specific ions can vary
widely. Excessive salinity is a serious
problem in some parts of Australia. Yet
some plants and animals suffer because
of lack of specific ions in our ancient
soils. In some parts of the world, salt
licks are visited regularly by various
animals.
Oxygen is rarely a limiting factor in
terrestrial environments.
Water availability varies alot in
terrestrial environments. Even in
rainforests, epiphytes gave to survive dry
periods in the treetops. In deserts, plants
and animals have many adaptations to
survive the lack of water.
Generally light is not a limiting factor.
However plants living at lower levels in
rainforests have leaves adapted to low
light levels, or they may only grow
quickly to reach upper levels when a
‘hole’ appears in the rainforest canopy.
Pressure has little effect in most animals.
Humans who travel to very high regions
can experience altitude sickness.
Temperature changes in terrestrial
environments are much large than in
aquatic environments. Plants and animals
are adapted to this: plants conserve water
and have small leaves or change the
orientation of the leaf to keep its edge
directed to the sun. Animals may burrow
into the soil to avoid the intense heat of
the day.
Large animals are little affected by the
low viscosity of air, unless the wind is
intense. However small animals, such as
insects must be adapted to move through
the air.